IMO if the Rams can't beat a wounded bird then they aren't a championship-caliber team. I'm looking for a Super Bowl contender, not simply a playoff contender. I think 2018 set the minimum bar for expectations for this team otherwise we are saying 2018 was a fluke. I honestly believe this roster is better than 2018's and if I'm right then this team is heading in the right direction.
This is not about the Eagles, as each week it isn't about the opposition. It's about the Rams and how they play. They play to their talent level each week then they can be that SB contender. I'm glad Staley feels this defense is a work in progress. Too many missed tackles, with too many players out of position. Too many times the defense lacked adequate play recognition as it was clear they were reacting not anticipating. But it's not just the players, it's in the coaches with their prep and play calling. I think on both sides of the ball there were times they simply didn't trust their players. Those two TDs were the results of O'Connell trusting his players and simply being aggressive. That part of the equation will come with time as the coaches know what their team's strengths and weaknesses are. It's obvious that this team has returned to being soft against the run in the middle. As much as they seem to like Sebas it really is time to adjust their roster. He simply doesn't play to his size.
Ebukam is a true SAM LB and should be used that way. The flats were consistently open with no one to set a hard edge of keep contain. Staley's defense as played against the Boys would get ripped apart by a running QB. He can get pressure with 4 if he plays the right 4. His MIKE needs to be positioned as a true MIKE to defend that soft middle. His OLB (not the pass rushing JACK) needs to be positioned to take away the flats for dump offs, screens, and rollouts. Their edge defense was poor. Dak is a mobile QB but McCarthy didn't use him in that way and the Rams were lucky he didn't because the perimeter defense didn't look good. I expect Wentz to be rolling out to escape the quick pressure.
I know there are some people who watched Floyd and Ebukam's pass rush and would say they did a poor job. But in reality, they were playing containment as well as penetration. I could tell by the way they rushed, having seen both as a true pass rusher. The problem with that is that by using his outside rushers to maintain contain instead of positioning his OLB and Mike to fill that responsibility it reduces the effectiveness of the outside rushers as it limits their aggressiveness. It also makes it easier for the offense to break that contain. This is what I mean about playing to his player's strengths not trying to pigeon hole them to fit a scheme. This is a classic mistake of a newbie coach. Instead of knowing the strengths of his players and building his scheme around them, he's trying to fit the players into his envisioned scheme. He needs to turn his front 4 pass rushers loose and then play his LBs and safeties behind them to maintain perimeter contain and the A gaps. That's why IMO the pass rush wasn't what it needed to be and Dak threw for so many yards. If he plays that way against Wentz the Eagle offense could have a big day. They now have the film to see these weaknesses.
The Rams should dominate the Eagles on both sides of the ball. If they don't then it's on the coaches because this team in terms of talent matches up well. Oh, and IMO Hill played like crap, too many times he was caught flat-footed and was abused by the Boy's rookie.
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Here's hoping they continue their losing streak. Lincoln is due to get some payback against his buddy for the last few years.
